Even as a child, Laura Montgomery had already developed a determination to boot sexism into touch.

It was an inner strength that would later serve her well when she set about creating opportunities for women and girls in the male-dominated world of football.

Having been denied a pathway into the sport when she was growing up, Laura made it her mission to change the future for generations to come.

The result was Glasgow City FC, which became one of Scotland’s most successful woman’s football teams.

Now East Renfrewshire woman Laura, 44, features in a new BBC documentary about her struggle to put women’s football on Scotland’s sporting map.

The Women Who Built Glasgow City tells how she teamed up with Carol Anne Stewart, known to her friends as Cas, to take the club on an incredible journey that would lead to a bulging trophy cabinet.

“Even as a young kid, I would never accept that girls shouldn’t be allowed to do something,” said Laura, from Clarkston. “Even though everyone perceived that as the norm, I certainly didn’t perceive it as the norm and I set out to change it.”

Together, Laura and 53-year-old Cas, from Newlands, went against patriarchal constraints to form Glasgow City in 1998 and kick-start an era of dominance that brought 13 league titles in succession.

The club also reached the UEFA Women’s Championship League quarter-finals on two occasions.

However, in 2016, the pair were close to giving it all up.

Laura’s partner of 16 years, Kat Linder, was struggling with her mental health and Cas’s brother Martin was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

The duo discussed whether they could continue running the club and still be there for their loved ones.

Sadly, Martin died in August 2017 and, in February last year, Laura received the devastating news that Kat had taken her own life.

“The day Kat died is the worst day of my life and always will be,” said Laura.

“Kat was my world. When you lose that one thing that is the real reason to get you up in the morning, you realise you don’t get as much enjoyment out of stuff.

“When something good happens to me, the only person I want to tell it to is Kat but she’s not there to tell anymore.

“I really miss her.”

Margot McCuaig, writer, producer and director of the new documentary, is full of praise for Laura and Cas.

She said: “Since childhood, Cas and Laura have pushed against stereotypical perceptions that football is a man’s game and have worked hard to break down gender barriers.

“In realising their ambition to create their own football club, they have created opportunities for girls to follow their dreams. Their work ethic has been consistently remarkable and this film goes some way to providing an insight into their role, not just as trailblazers in women’s football, but as pioneers creating a transformation in Scottish society.”

The Women Who Built Glasgow City was shown on BBC ALBA on Sunday and will be available on BBC iPlayer for the rest of this month.

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